Drive-chain.



l. K. STEWART, DECD.

1. s. sTEwAnT.--Exscumx.

v DRIVE CHAIN.. v AP'PucAnoN'FlLED ocT.14. |916. j 1,269,656, l PatellvtedJune 18, 1918 sHEETsfsHEET I.

unimi mlm Patented .[11110 18, 1915i.

L T v m rl l M L s.

UNITED srnfrnsf .PATENT on `TOIEIN x. STEWARL'DEGEASED, Ln'rnor CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, BY JULIA n. srrnwnrtr', -v ExEoUrmx, or NORTHPOBT, NEW YORK. i v

DRIVE-CHAIN.

Specication of yLetters Patent. Patented June 18, 1913.

Application led October 14,191.6. Serial No. 125,646.

' To all-whom t may concern: f i

Beitknown that I, JULIA B. STEWART,

fa citizen of the United States, residing at Northport in the county of Suffolk and `State of New York, am the executrix of the last will yand testament of JOHN K.'S'1 'EWART, I late resident of Chicago, Illinois, deceased,

who had invented new and useful Improvements in Drive-Chains, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

This invention relates to drive chains for power transmission purposes and is espe-f cially concernedwith the multi-plate style ofv chain in which each link is composed of a plurality .of plates arranged lside by side and separated from each other so as to be interspersed with thel similarly arranged plates of thenext link at the joint between the two links. 'The invention consists in the features and elements andtheir combii of link plate.

" Fig. 6 lis a top plan view partly nations shown in the ,drawings and hereinafter described as indicated by theclaims.

` In the drawings:

Figure-1 is a side elevation of a section of `chain embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 isa top plan'view partly in section.

- Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one of the plates of which the chain 4links are formed. l Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the samejplate showing the Opposite side thereof.

ortion of Fig. 5 vis a side elevation of a p chain having a modiied form of rocker bearing.

l in Sectio at the joint of the chain shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a Asingle linkl plate used in the chain shown` in Fig. 5.

Fig.8' is a side elevation of another form Figs. 9 and 10 are side elevations of modi- --fied forms of link plates; v

The d 've c hain whichis illustrated inl Fig.1, is -composed of links, A, having teeth,

f A1, which may be -so designed, and related as ,A be known aa"1si.lent chain. This feature, however, is Ionly incidental and is 'not essen-j tial for lthe to correctly fit the teeth of standard involute gears of various diameters resultingv in compara'tively quiet running upon such. gears' from which thistype of chainhas come to purposes of the present. inventmncf .posing that link extend lateral As indicated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, each of I the plates, a, of which the chain links are composed is formed of liatstock with a bearing lug, al, struck outof saidv stock near each endof the link and projecting from one face therfoi' by a distance substantially equal to thethickness of the material from which the link is formed. These lugs, a1, are

curved and a considerable aperture, a2,

whose general shape is triangular with curved sides, is formed in the plate extending from the convex side of the lug, a1, toward the middle portion of the, plate. From Fig. 21it will be seen that the plates, a, are r'assembled so that for each link 'of the chain the lugs, a1, of all the plates, a, comy in the same direction while the lugs, a1, of the 4next link extend laterally inthe opposite direction simplyfduplicated in every other similar pair of plates in the chain.

Thus a single joint ofthe chain such as is shown in section in Fig. 2 comprises a. number of pairs of plates, a, each .pair being connected together by a rocking joint formed` of' their rounded lugs, al, andeach link being composed of a plurality of plates held togethertransversely rivets, g, engaging apertures, f, formed 1n the lates; w, inst behind the lugs, alf The'c earance apertures, a2, besides affording space for the in-f .,'terlocking lugs, 11.1, provide room for the rivets, g, as is clear in Fig.2,"Tl1us,/as one link of the chain changes its an lar relationto the next link by the roc 'ng of itsA bearing lugs, al, upon the bearing lugs, w1,

of the other' link, the connecting rivet, g, in

one link traverses a curved path in the clearance apertures, a2, Ofthexplates of the other link. And the same may be said of the rivet, as; ol said other. link with respect to the clearance aperture, g, of the first link. Byproperly forming the 4clearance aperlwhich the lug, a1, extends.

tures, a2, they may perform the additional function of guards to prevent the bearing lugs, al, from slipping upon eachother. The edges of the apertures, a2, are shaped to conform to the paths of the terminal edges, a?, of the lugs, al, as said lugs rock upon each other and move within the apertures, a2, so that in any correctl position of a lug, a1, 1ts ends, a, are in contact with the edges of the clearance aperture, a2, in the llink plate into Figs. 5 to 10, inclusive, illustrate a modified form of drive chain which is made up of two forms of link plates instead of have ing -all the pla-tes exactly alike, as in the form shown in Fig. 1. In Fig. 5 the resulting types of links are indicated at B and C, respectively, while the detail construct1on of the plates is shown in Figs. -7 and 8, and 1n modiiedarrangement in Figs. 9 and 10.

The links, B, are each formed of a plurality of plates,i b, each having a semi-cir cular a erture, b1, at each end and a bearing lug, d, folded out from said aperture to extend laterally from the plate at one side and formed with a straight bearing face, b3, diametrically positioned with respect to the aperture, b1,

aperture, b2. The other type of link plate, c, is formed with segmental apertures, c, and bearing lugs, 02, folded out therefrom to project from one surface of the plate, and said lugs, c2, are obtusely angular 'or `V- shapedso as to provide substantially a Ine bearing at c3, for coperation with the flat bearing surfaces, b3, of the link plate, b, such apex or bearing line, c3, being disposed at the center or axis of the aperture, c1. Thus it will be evident that if the plate, I), be lapped at one end upon the plate, c, with its aperture, b1, concentric with the aperture, c1, the apex, c3, of the bearing lug, c2, will be in contact with the flat bearingvlug, b2, substantially along the common axis of the apertures, b1 and c1, and if the plate, c, is swung about such common axis, the ends, 04, of its lug, c2, will traverse the arc of the while the ends of the bearing lug, b2, will do likewise upon the arc of the opening, c1, said apertures, b1 and c1, ref' maining concentric throughout the movement.

As indicated in Figs. 9 and 10, it is not essential that both bearing lugs of one plate be of the flat faced form, but the link plates may be made like the types, d and e, respectively, each of which has a flat faced bearing lug-at one end and an angular lug at the other end. The lugs, dx and dy, of the plate, d, extend from the opposite side of sa'id plate as compared with the lugs, e and e?, of the plate, e, so that when such plates, 07v and e, are lapped upon each other, the bearing lug of each plate shall enter the clearance aperture of the other plate providing a bearing. between the two plates kwith the plates themselves, they their own pintles and no further e ements `ire required to complete the chain exceptalong a line equal in length to the combined thickness of the two plates, and located in the common axis of the clearance apertures.

In all styles of link plates shown, small apertures, f, are formed in the flat walls of the plates just back of each bearing lug,- that is, at the side of said lug opposite its bearing'surface, and each complete link of the chain is made up 'by assembling side by side a number of similar links and securing them together by rivets, g extending through the registered apertures, f. It will'jbe understood that by temporarily inserting a thin piece of material between any two` 'l unavoidable friction between the surfaces" of adjacent plates, the folding y,motion "at soy each joint is a mere rocking movementfof" the simplest fornn-the rocking of a knife edge upon a flat-bearing surface.

' It is evident that the forms of theflink plates herein shown may be very'economi cally produced as stampings, being treated by A anysuitable hardening process subse' quent to their formation, so that by virtue 1 of their bearing lugs thus formedl integrally rovide tue, uery cheap and simple rivets, g.

While the use of the angular or V-shaped bearing lugssomewhat simplifies the problem of designing the link plates, since the rocking motion resulting is justvthe same as though the plates were connected with lsimple pivots, the curvedlugs shown in Figs. 1 to LL are preferred'because in their rocking motion their line of contact is constantly changing with a resulting distribu' tion of wear on the bearing surfaces which is not obtainable with the angular lugs. And further, with will be a minute flattening of the curves under heavy loads with a corresponding 'increase of actual bearing surface which if it occurred in the angular lug would`tend to disturb the correctness of its rocking motion, perhaps causing binding between the terminal edges of the lug and the circularly curved `clearance apertulre in! which it swings.

I claim l. A chain composed of link plates, each having a bearing lug extending laterally from the surface of theplate with a con' v'exly curved bearing surface adapted to rock upon the similar surface of a bearing lug-of the next link, each plate having a clearance aperture of general 'triangular l 11'0 I the curved lugs there two sides-by curves conformed to the paths tiplate links, eac-h plate of one link having of the edges of the coperating lug in its an integrally formed bearing lug extending said rocking movement, to; accommodate laterally from the face of the plate, laterally said coperating.r lug of the connected link. adjacent plates of the next link having inte- 2. A chain composed of link plates, each gral bearing lugs extending respectively for having a bearing lug extending laterally contact with the lugs of the first lin-k to form from the surface of'the plate with a cona rocking `joint there-With, the plates of each vexly curved bearing surface adapted to link having clearance apertures partially.

rock upon the similar surface of a bearing bounded by the bearing faces of the lugs lug of the next link, each plate having a and positioned to accommodate the lugs of clearance vaperture of general triangular the other link, and transversely disposed shape bounded on one side by said curved rivets for laterally joining the plates of each bearing surface of the lug and extending link, said rivets being positioned back of therefrom to accommodate the coperating the bearing faces of the lugs within the lug of the connected link, the remaining outclearance apertures of the next adjacent line of such clearance aperture being curved links.

lto conform to the/paths of the edges of said In testimony whereof 1 have hereunto set y cooperating lug in its said rocking movemy hand at New York, N. Y. county, this i ment for contact with the. said coperating 10th day of October, 1916. f lug throughout said movement. JULIA B. STEWART,

3. A rocker ]oint chain composed of mul- Eweawtriw of Jaim K. Stewart, deceased. 

